Dog Carcasses Litter Vacant North St. Louis House

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – With the help of detectives, a sixth dog has been found, and more neighbors are coming forward with tips about several dead dogs.

Stray Rescue Founder Randy Grim says even with a $5,000 reward for any information, some people living on the 5300 Block of Wells are still too scared to talk to police. Grim speculated that the dogs had been killed in fights or as part of gang rituals. He says to his knowledge, they were all pit bulls. He called this type of animal abuse “an embarrassment” and “an epidemic” in St. Louis.

Original Story:

“I have seen a lot of horrific abuse in the decades I have been rescuing dogs, but I haven’t seen anything this barbaric.”

That was Stray Rescue founder Randy Grim’s reaction after five dogs were found dead inside an empty house in the 5300 block of Wells Tuesday.

Rescuers arrived at the home to find the decaying corpses of the dogs, as well as chains and electrical cords used to restrain, and in some cases, strangle the dogs.

Grim referred to the site as a “gang house”, though that was not confirmed by police.

The body of one dog was draped over the windowsill of an upstairs window.

Vet staff for Stray Rescue believe the dog was placed there, and the window slammed down on it repeatedly.

They speculate another dog may have been burned alive.

Stray Rescue is working to build a comprehensive case in order to find the perpetrators, and they’re offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

Grim says they decided to posthumously name the dogs that “likely never knew anything but terror” — he chose Brandy, Schnapps, Frangelico, Grand Marnier and B&B.

“It was a scene from the most shocking horror film, and it will stay with me forever,” said Stray Rescue’s Grim. “These dogs truly went through hell.”